This invention relates a water treatment apparatus and method and more particularly to an electronic water treatment apparatus method.
Numerous devices and methods have been directed in the past to treat water in order to eliminate or reduce the problems associated with water hardness. The effects of hard water are well known. Hard water is known to cause scaling that can eventually clog pipes, ice makers, coffee machines, air conditioners, and other appliances in homes and businesses. In the domestic environment, other drawbacks associated with hard water use include the reduced effectiveness of cleaning materials, such as detergents, build-up in bathroom fixtures and dish washers, and bad or off-taste. In commercial and public establishments, such as restaurants, hospitals, schools, and so on, similar deleterious effects result from the use of hard water but on a larger scale. In industrial settings, scaling of pipes presents problems sometimes requiring continuous treatment and rehabilitation to maintain peak operating status for water supply and circulation systems.
Existing methods for the treatment of hard water can offset some of these disadvantages noted above, but do so often at the expense of providing a new set of problems by way of tradeoff. For example, a commonly used way for treating hard water in the home is with a water softener that uses a salt exchange method. This type of system requires bringing into the home on a continuing and regular basis large quantities of salt either in block or pellet form. Moreover, typical water softeners require that the system be flushed regularly in a procedure that typically produces several hundred gallons of salty waste water. In addition, the typical water softener produces water that many people consider to have poor taste and, moreover, which may pose health concerns related to regular consumption by certain segments of the population.
Various other types of water treatment systems have been developed over the years. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,206, a device is disclosed that includes two relatively low voltage electrodes (e.g. 6.3 volts). These electrodes may become coated with deposits and a warning light is provided to indicate that deposits have accumulated on an anode. Also, the device may have to adjusted depending upon the specific water supply to which it is connected.
Another device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,369. This device requires that a "strong cathode" and a "weak cathode" are both submerged in the water being treated.
These and other systems have drawbacks associated with them including high cost of operation, inconsistent effectiveness, or the need to specifically tailor the device to a particular water treatment system.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a water treatment apparatus and method to reduce the effects of hard water and that is effective and safe.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a water treatment apparatus and method that is conservative of environmental resources.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a water treatment apparatus and method that is inexpensive and adaptable for the needs of various users.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a water treatment apparatus and method that does not require modification to function with different types of water supplies.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a water treatment apparatus and method that requires little or no maintenance.